Doc Severinsen, Music Director for Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,To Teach During the Trumpet Studio at Carnegie Mellon

Doc Severinsen

Doc Severinsen, a world-renowned trumpet player and the music director for "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson," will teach a master class at Carnegie Mellon University during the Trumpet Studio at 1 p.m. on November 19 in the Kresge Recital Hall in the College of Fine Arts on Carnegie Mellon's campus. All events during the Trumpet Studio are free to the public and will take place in the Kresge Recital Hall.

"Doc Severinsen is one of the most important figures in the American band history," said Alan Fletcher, head of the School of Music. "His legendary work with Johnny Carson is only one dimension of his contributions as bandleader, arranger, composer and performer. The chance to hear his thoughts and advice for musicians of the future is not to be missed."

Severinsen has recorded more than 30 albums and won a Grammy in 1987 as music director of "The Tonight Show." He travels the country performing with symphonic orchestras, jazz and big band concerts, making recordings and designing trumpets. Severinsen is currently the principal pops conductor of the Phoenix Symphony, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Minnesota Orchestra and the Milwaukee Symphony.

"I'm very pleased to teach at Carnegie Mellon," Severinsen said. "I like to be around young people because I usually learn more than I teach."

Carnegie Mellon School of Music's artist lecturers, Neal Berntsen and George Vosburgh are hosting the Trumpet Studio. The schedule of events is as follows:

11 a.m.: Master class by Scott Laskey of the Laskey Corporation, a trumpet design company. Laskey began learning about mouthpieces and brass instrument design from Reynold Schilke more than 30 years ago. Now in Laskey Corporation, Laskey creates mouthpieces for most of today's leading trumpet players.

1 p.m.: Master class by Severinsen. Severinsen led The Tonight Show Orchestra for Johnny Carson for 30 years. Severinsen also plays jazz with the former Tonight Show band, now called Doc Severinsen and His Big Band.

2:30 p.m.: Festival of Trumpets Concert featuring trumpet ensembles from Carnegie Mellon, Duquesne University, Slippery Rock University, West Virginia University, Alderson-Broaddus College and the trumpet section of the River City Brass Band.